Fishway



Oct. :3, 1937. F. G. HURST 2,094,892

FISHWAY Filed Sept. 27, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TT6RNEY5.

G. HURST Oct. 5, 1937.

FISHWAY Filed Sept. 27, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet! I II ll Patented Oct. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE My invention relates primarily to fishways, though I do not wish to be limited in the application of my invention to fishways as it may be used with equal facility in-any and all places where it is desired to provide a series of pools and drops in the transferring of water continuously from a higher elevation to a 'lower elevation and to control and regulate'the rate of flow of the fluid from the higher elevation to the lower elevatiom My device is particularly adapted for the aerating-of water and for use in sewage disposal plants where the bacterial count may be permitted to develop in the transference from the higher elevation to the lower elevation and to thereby permit the disintegration of the polluted matter in the various pools disposed between the high and the low elevations.

My invention may also be used for the elim-- ination of deposits and the removal of silt being carried in suspension in the water passing through the waterway. For such purposes the invention may be used in water systems of industrial plants,- and in the pulp and paper industries, and in any and all places where a clear water is required that will be free from finely divided comminuted ma-' terial being held in suspension in the water being treated. Means are provided to eliminate the precipitated mass from each of the pools by the same being flushed therefrom into a waste way.

In the building of fishways at dam sites in the larger streams and in close proximity to the sea where the fishing industry isof great commercial importance, it is found desirable to provide channel ways through which the fish may travel in each direction without going over the spillways and without passing through the power wheels disposed in the'dams placed within the channel of the streams for the development of power andfor other purposes.

Through the use of my new and improved device and construction, I provide one or more pools having cross dams separating the pools and each of the poolstbeing at diiferent elevations and -I regulate and control the amount of water passing through the fishways to thereby regulate and predetermine the volume of water passing through the fishways and the velocity of the same.

I accomplishthis result by placing weirs at the upper ends of the pools disposed therebelow. I also place one or more .openings through the wall at either end of the pools through which the water flows at a different rate-of velocitythan it. does over the weirs and through which the fishv may pass in transferring themselves from one to the other of the pools going in either direction. I I place a difiusing head at one of the ends of the passage ways at each of the openings disposed for the fish after their passage through the opening.

In the fluctuating of the stream flow from low water to high water in some streams this rise and 'fall is great. To regulate and predetermine the amount of water that will flow at the high water through the dams toprovide a secondary'basin period through the fishway, I provide means in the primary dam and at the crest of the waterfall to predetermine the amount of water that will be permitted to enter the fishways, and to regulatethe amount of water and the velocity of the same passing through the fishway.

The primary object and purpose of my inven-'- tion is to'predetermine the amount of water and the velocity of the same passing through the fishway. r

A furtherobject of my invention is to predetermine the velocity of the water passing-through the .fishway from the highest elevation to the lowest elevation of the same.

1 A still further object of my invention is to provide a plurality of pools that are separated by partitioning dams and to develop pools of different elevations in the samefishway through which fish may pass in either direction and with a minimum of effort on the part of the fish, and

with absolute safetyto the fish in their transference from one elevation to a different elevation and in either direction.

And a still further object of my invention consists in providing a channel way for fluids that will provide means for the transference of the fluids from a higher to a lower elevation and to regulate the velocity of the fluid to be transferred through the delivery way.

And a. still further object of my invention consists in the forming of a waterway that will have a series of settling basins disposed therein for the trapping of sediment within the respective basins to deliver a stream of clear water at the outlet end of the waterway. This is equally desirable for fishways as well as for the treatment of water for domestic and for industrial purposes. I also provide means for the flushing of the precipitated material from the respective settling basins.

With these and incidental objects in view, the

invention consists in certain 'novel features of j construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the ap-' pended claims, andja preferred form of embodiment of which is hereinafter shown with reference to the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a plurality of adjacent pools disposed within a common channel embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional end e vation of one of the pools. This view is taken/ on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional side view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional, end elevation taken on line 44 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional, end elevation of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 3. This view is taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated.\

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional side view of the lower fishway. This view is taken at the upper end of the fishway.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional side view of the lower end of the fishway.

I Fig. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a waterway illustrating a wasteway disposed longitudinally of one side of the waterway and illustrating a gate adapted to open and close a communicating opening disposed between the wasteway and the respective pools.

Fig. 9 is a sectional endelevation of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of a waterway illustrating a wasteway running longitudinally of the waterway which is disposed between the outside side walls of the pools.

Fig. 11 is a sectional end view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of a p1urality of adjacent pulls disposed within a common channel 'and embodying a modification of invention.

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the mechanism' disclosed in Fig. 12.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

My present invention is primarily intended for placement in rivers where the surface of the river level varies at different seasons of the year'or in different years and it is necessary to regulate and predetermine' the amount of water that is permitted to enter the fishway, and to provide means for regulating the velocity within reasonable limits as it passes through the fishway.

It is necessary where ice and other floating debris is to be encountered that suitable diversion means be'provided to prevent the admission of the ice, and other heavy floating material entering the fishway.

In Fig. 6 I have shown the up-stream end of the fishway, in which the primary dam is placed .across the entry to the fishway. I provide suit- ;able guides 2, at the primary dam and provide means for supporting and maintaining movable dam sections 3 therein that may be placed there by hand. In the larger structures, these movable dam sections may be manipulated by suitable cranes or lifts. This provides suitable means for regulating the height of the weir over which the water will flow into the primary resting basin 4. Additional cross buttresses 5, 6 and I are placed transversely of the fishway on the downstream side of the primary dam I, and the tops 8, 9 and H) of the respective secondary dams 5,

6 and 'i are lowered in gradients to sufficiently compensate for the maximum rise and fall of the river in Which the fishway is placed to compen sate for the natural or artificial drop made in the river below. The bottom II in the first of a series of pools at the upper end of the fishway is made substantially level and the structure may be made of permanent materials as concrete or of masonry material, or of metal or wood. One or more openings l2 of suitable cross sectional area is placed through the primary dam I, and a sufficient amount of water is permitted to flow over the upper one of the sectional weirs to permit the fish disposed within the upper resting basin 4 to swim over the top of the same or through the opening or openings l2. A diffusing head I3 is placed at the upstream end of each of the openings passing through the respective primary or secondary dam structures. The diffusing head is preferably made substantially larger in cross sectional area than that of the area of the opening l2, that communicates with the adjacent pools in order that the water disposed within the diffusing head will be of substantially less velocity than that of the opening through which the fish are permitted to go. This diffusing head also forms a secondary resting basin for the fish arriving therein. Resting basins in sufficient numbers and having proper lengths are provided at the upstream end of the fishw'ay to compensate for the normal rise and fall of the stream. The bottoms M of the succeeding upper basins l5 are stepped down in order that the fish in .passing from one to the other may do so without injury and Without undue labor being required in'the passage while going upstream.

In each of the transverse secondary dams the water is permitted to flow over the top of the respective dams and through the dams and through the diffusing heads and the passageways through the respective dams.

In Fig. 7 I have shown the down stream end of the fishway and these pools are positioned to extend below and well into the extreme low water at the discharge end of the fishway.

The cross dam I 6 is disposed at, or below the extreme low water line so that the water descending the fishway will flow over the top ll of the dam l6 and also through one or more openings l8 extending transversely of the wall and through the diffusing head I9. The difference in height of the respective bottoms 20, 2|, and 22 and the bottoms disposed thereabove is determined by the character of the fish to be handled and their'ability to navigate the water upstream. Where the fish are of a sporting nature, are active and full of life, these steps may be much greater than where the fish are sluggish and lazy in their habits. I

During the flood season the rise of the water level at the base of the fishway is much greater 1 than the rise of the water at the top of the fishway; Therefore during the flood season a number of the resting basins of the fishway at the base of the fishway will be entirely submerged. In Fig. 1 I have shown the fishway as having fixed sides 23 and 24. These definite fixed sides may be artificially made or where the surface of the fishway is cut through permanently located materials as through solid rock or granite these side walls of the cut may be used as the side walls of the fishway. Both the primary and secondary dams are connectedwith, and are secured to the side walls 23 and 24 at their ends.

While I have shown the diflusing heads 25 as being but one in'number at eaclidam and within each basin, I do not wish to be limited to a single diffusing head in each cross dam as the number will depend entirely upon the size and capacity of the fishway. v

In the upper reaches of the fishway, I may provide catch basings for collecting floating debris. When so made I may place screening walls 26 about the diffusing head 25 and elevate the same from the bottom 21 of the resting basin in order that the water may be required to flow thereunder and over the top 28 of the diffusing head to thereby form a catch basin 29 within the resting basins or pools disposed at the upper end of the flshway. When this is done, means should be provided for the easy removal of the collected floating material from the restihg basins and the elimination of the same.

I provide a suitable wasteway for the elimination of waste that is collected either as a precipitate that may become deposited in any one of the resting and settling basins or for the elimination of the float that may be collected in the upper ones of the basins. The wasteway may run at one side of the fishway as shown at 39 in Fig. 8, or the same may be run central and longitudinally of the flshway as illustrated at 40. When the same is run at one side outlet doors 4|, communicate the low point of each of the pools with the wasteway. The bottom of the wasteway is placed suiiiciently low to permit the elimination of the collected material through the action of gravity. The outlet door should be made sufliciently broad to permit the flushing of the'precipitated material from the pool. The advantage of the side wasteway consists in the fact that each of the pools may be independently cleaned without the necessity of stopping the flow of water through the fishway.

The central clean out and waste elimination has the advantage of lessened cost and is perhaps advantageous for the larger installations.

When a central wasteway is provided it would be made as illustratedin Fig. 10 and in Fig. 11.

' When so made the central flushing trough 40 is provided with a gate 42 at each cross dam. An opening is also provided at the primary dam I so that the necessary water for flushing the waste, either float or precipitated matter, may then be flushed from any one or from all of the. adjacent pools. If the bottoms of the pools slope toward the wasteway the cleaning will be facilitated.

A communicating trough 43 may be run from the central waste trough 40 to a secondary side waste trough 44 as illustrated in Fig. 1-1.

In Fig. I have shown the primary entryway into the fis'hway as being narrow and I permit the water to flow into the first one of the upstream basins through an opening 30 that is formed within the primary dam 3| with the opening 30 being nanower than the width of the resting basins. I provide suitable, movable dam sections 32 to be placed therein, as heretofore described.

The difiusing heads placed at the end of the passagway disposed in the cross dams are really secondary resting pools and are made sufllciently large to permit the fish to rest therein after their passage through the wall. I have found it desirable to. make the bottom part of the secondary pool near the wall substantially horizontal as shown at 34 in Fig. 3, and to make the remainder of the" bottom upward sloping to lessen the current velocity therein andto encourage the fish leaving the same. The upstream end of the inclined supporting wall connects to the rim 35 of the diffusing head.

In Figs. 12 and 13 I have shown a plurality of pools 46 having communicating passageways 41 communicating the respective pulls. A diffusing head is disposed downstream from the respective openings 41 and a top 49 covers the diffusing head immediately downstream of the opening 47 that is formed by the end wall 48 and the side wall 50.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the embodiment herein shown and described, as it is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, and in various methods, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What I claim is:

l. A fishway comprising side walls, a plurality of cross dams .disposed between the side walls and being spaced apart to form resting basins, each cross dam being lower than the adjacent one upstream, submerged passageways disposed through the cross dams for providing communication between the respective resting basins and a difiusing head disposed in front of each pasrality of basins formed by cross dams, passageways extending through the cross dams for providing communication between the basins, a submerged diiIusing head disposed at each passageway, means disposed within the head dam for predetermining the amount of water that is to en'- ter the basins. g

' 3. A fishway comprising side walls, a primary dam and secondary cross dams disposed between the respective side walls to form pools therebetween, means disposed within the primary dam for controlling the flow of water therethrough, submerged passageways disposed through the primary dam and each cross dam, diffusing heads disposed at each of the openings through the cross dams .and means for collecting floating material in certain ones of the pools, said means comprising a wall enclosure surrounding the diffusing head and spaced apart therefrom, said walls extending vertically from the top of the basin to immediately below the top of the diffusing head. 1

4. In a device of the class described, a unidirectional fluidway, a primary dam disposed at the upstream and of the fluidway, an overflow po'rtal disposed through the primary dam and having its sill at an elevation above that of the floor of the fluidway, sectional dams removably placeable within the overflow portal and adapted to regulate the fiow theretli'rough, a second portal disposed through the primary dam and having its sill at a lower elevation than that of the overflow portal, a plurality of cross dams disposed in the fluidway downstream from the primary dam and forming resting basins, a plurality of passageways disposed one through each of the cross dams, a plurality of diffusing heads disposed one at each of the cross dams and in juxtaposition with the passageway therethrough, and screening members secured to certain of the cross dams and bination of a waterway comprising a plurality of pools formed by a series of cross dams disposed between the side walls of the fluidway, submerged passageways disposed through each cross dam, a difiusing'head disposed in front of each passageway, a wasteway disposed longitudinally of the waterway, and below the bottom level of the pools and outlet doors for communicating the wasteway with the pools.

6. The combination with a cross dam, having an opening therethrough, of a diffusing head comprising side walls and a bottom wall fixedly secured to the face of the cross dam and extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom,

and an end wall connecting the outer ends of the side walls, said diffusing head having its top edge approximately at the top of the opening in the cross dam.

7. The combination with a cross dam, having an opening therethrough, of a. diffusing head comprising side walls and a top wall fixedly secured to the face of the cross dam and extending substantailly perpendicular therefrom, and an end wall connecting the outer end of the side walls, said diifusing head having its top edge approximately at the top of the opening in the cross dam.

FREDERICK G. HURST. 

